� Heaven or Hell... � 2005-12-20 � 9:37 p.m. �
There's a special on TV tonight... Barbara Walters explores the validity of Heaven. Yeah, Merry Christmas.
I would have to admit that I'm fairly well educated in religion... I know a good bit about many religions... having friends from all walks, it tends to happen. Having a mother who didn't know if she was Catholic or Jewish and dating a self-proclaimed Zen-head would do it to me too. I couldn't pick a religion if I had to.
So I'm not religious... I don't practice, nor do I have a favourite one.... In the world I was raised, I was taught that there is no one set truth... that no one god nor no one set path is more true or less true than another. I was taught to respect the faith of those in my company. Kneel in the church, cross in the church... stay veiled in temple... say Grace at the table.
For me to sit and watch a show about Heaven... well, would normally be kind of irritating. The idea of Heaven depresses me. Seriously... why would I want to take this... this body and this sore soul and live for eternity with it, or do we get to leave the shit behind and only take the good?... and why would I want to spent eternity with people I wouldn't have wanted to spend life with? I'm not really sure how it works... and I bet it works differently for everyone anyway.
I'm not eternally happy. I don't want happiness until the end of the sands of time. I want variety. I rather believe that this ends with me... with my last breath, I want everything I endure in a painful day to be done too. That's just me.
The reason I'm interested in this show though... is neither for my belief or disbelief in a Christian God... or my thoughts on Heaven... my intrigue is a direct result of commercialism. I saw an advert for this show on the weekend... Barbara was asking "Is there a Heaven and is there a Hell..." She asks so firmly with her annoying little voice... she waits, looking over at her guest. He sits in front of her... eyes filled with great knowledge... cloaked in gold and burgundy robes... the hot lamps around him gleaming off his bald head and shinning from his lenses...
Yes... she asks this to the Dali Lama.
I'm not an expert, by any means... but I am as sure the Evangalists are that there is a Heaven, that THAT is NOT His Holiness's fort�.
It was the buddhist monk part that tipped me off.
Now I have to watch it, because I'm incredibly interested to know what he thinks... and so now I watch...
His genius is obvious.... and you know if more leaders would lsiten to him... not necessairyly believe, but just hear him... the world could be changed.
Religion, and people's preceptions of something so intangible... is fascinating.
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